TWO SENTENCED IN KILLING OF REPAIR SHOP OWNER, 83

A Fort Lauderdale man who stabbed to death a World War II veteran for $150 was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison while his accomplice received a 30-year sentence.

Jonathan Beahn, 20, pleaded guilty to a first-degree murder charge and agreed to spend the rest of his life in prison in exchange for prosecutors not to pursue the death penalty. Beahn stabbed James S. Pannucci, 83, up to 17 times during a June 27, 2003, robbery of Lincoln Radio & Television Service, the small business the veteran ran.

Josiah Shorey, a former store employee, planned the robbery, telling his friend, Beahn, that Pannucci kept a wad of cash in his pocket. Shorey pleaded guilty Tuesday to aggravated manslaughter of an elderly person in the deadly heist.

Fort Lauderdale police arrested Beahn and Shorey for the killing at 4270 N. Federal Highway after learning that Beahn had confessed to multiple people about stabbing Pannucci. Once Beahn was taken into custody, he gave a full confession and implicated Shorey, who hadn't at first implicated himself.

Beahn declined to speak Tuesday before his sentencing. Shorey apologized.

"I should pay a portion of my life for the pain I caused," Shorey said.

Jon Burstein can be reached at jburstein@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4491.